Diverged Road
by Essyllus
Summary: When life begins after Orochimaru. [IruAnko ficlet]
1. Dawning

Author's Notes: Based on another story, but I scrapped that and started over. This is what I originally wanted to do, because only IruAnko is love. Hope you enjoy.

_Diverged Road_

By Essyllus

---

_I got lost on the road of life._

On the second morning of the honeymoon, he has to leave. He apologizes profusely as he quickly dresses, whereas she says nothing. She is too hypnotized from his close touch, from the way he was her solace last night. She never wanted him to leave, but it is his duty, it is his duty. Closing her eyes and gripping the bed sheets around her, she dreams of his gentle arms tucked around her body, that one moment in her life when everything was all right… And at this moment… it feels like a one night stand.

Something from deep within her spirit moans irony.

"It will only be a few weeks," he says. She breaks away from her daydream and flips away the sheets. It has never been in her nature to feel sorry for herself, because life as always, just happens. She refuses to look into his eyes, to silently beg him not to go, and he gazes back at her dark ones when she does choose to look. She loves the smile he gives her, full of newlywed joy, and perfectly proportioned to his face despite the wide scar across his nose. She kisses him tenderly there and he rubs her neck, giving her the last bit of comfort before he would have to leave.

"I promise I'll be back. Just don't go anywhere," he teases.

"Dont'cha know?" she murmurs into his ear, remembering just the precious things long ago. "I love you with all my heart."

She watches him depart and she absently touches the scar on her neck. It feels unnatural and familiar at the same time, and she can't pinpoint exactly why. Ruffling through her thick black hair, somehow, it feels like she should have been the one who was leaving.

---

"Sometimes I feel like I don't know you. And I don't."

"Don't worry about me."

"I'm…"

"I'm still here, and you know me." She turns to him.

"What happened in the past is who I am. I'm not hiding anything."

"Tell me when you're ready?" She blinks.

"No. When you're ready."

He looks at her with curiosity. She loves that look he gives her, full of fatigue and of loving patience, and she reaches to touch his jowl. She faintly smiles and is grateful because despite… because she is lucky enough to find him.

"Darling, I've been waiting all my life," she says.


	2. Morning Coffee

---

_You're too unique for my tastes._

Ibiki looks at me like I've grown another head and I watch him purse his mouth out of the corner of my eye. I know what he's thinking. He never misses a beat, and on some days, that's one of the things I like about him. It's comforting to have your mind read when you want it. Avoids explanations or rather, the vulnerability when things get too serious. When they know it's me and not the sake talking.

This is one of those days.

He slides me a steaming mug of coffee. As usual, I wait until it gets cold to drink it. But something's up and I settle for strumming my fingers on its glazed handle. He raises a scarred eyebrow and smirks.

"What?"

"Nothing," he says nonchalantly, and he knows that it grates my nerves. "Just didn't think you'd be the type to fall for the nice guy."

I feel a frown wanting to emerge. But I don't. I don't give him the satisfaction and pour my burning coffee down my throat, all in one gulp. I'm childish like that, and he knows it. He's being a bitch, I'd like to tell him, but I can't because my esophagus is burning out of pride.

"You're lucky this is decaf. I hate decaf. Can't feel a damn thing."

"Yeah, yeah," and he waves it off with a paw. There's the undercurrent of I-told-you-so, though he's the one that's surprised.

We don't say anything for a while, actually. A part of me wants to flick a few senbon his way. But eventually I tilt my head and mumble into my empty mug.

"I didn't think so either."

He doesn't raise his eyebrows like he already knows what you were going to say. He just smiles and takes it as it comes.

Ibiki's a nice guy too, though he doesn't look it. From his gruff voice and the scars on his face, and the way his eyes just burrow into you, most genin would have just pissed in their pants the moment they saw him. But he laughs, and it's something, alright. It's these great big rolling thunderstorms and you can't help but feel safe and warm inside.

He makes me feel like that. Like I'm small like a baby, and life's just something we're all born into and can't help.

I can't help it. That son of a bitch smiles like nobody's business and then I feel cold like I haven't been for a long time. I say that I still have some mission forms to fill out. When I leave the building, the combination of heat and relief and frustration leaves my chest. I remember Iruka and those groceries he's asked me to pick up. I remember him not coming back, and the waiting.

I'm damn glad that I had decaf.


End file.
